A Light In The Attic

“Was looking thru this book tonight and came across this poem. Prolly haven't read it in years. Still great, tho...

Tryin' On Clothes

I tried on the farmer's hat,
Didn't fit.
A little to small - just a bit
Too floppy.
Couldn't get used to it,
Took it off.

I tried on the dancer's shoes,
A little too loose.
Not the kind you could use
For walkin'.
Didn't feel right in 'em.
Kicked 'em off.

I tried on the summer sun,
Felt good.
Nice and warm - knew it would.
Tried on the grass beneath bare feet,
Felt neat.
Finally, finally felt well dressed,
Nature's clothes just fit me best.

:-)”

“I love his work. We have almost all of his books. It would be difficult for me to choose a favorite. It's all good. :)”

“The Giving Tree is my favorite.”

“When I was a kid I use to run around the house nakid so much they called me nature boy....does that count??

hummm........now that I think about it much hasn't changed. Oh well nice poem anyhow thanks for sharing”

“Yeah, sunny, picking a favorite would be darn near impossible.

I have several of his books... My parents bought Where The Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up. Each one is signed and dated. One from when I was a toddler, an 8 year old, and the last one from when I was 22.

The Giving Tree and many other of Shel's works have been banned or "challenged" in schools across the country. But, that's a whole different thread...”

“Pete - When you were running 'round nekkid... did you feel "well dressed"?”

“"The Giving Tree is my favorite."
running girl
07:15:37 PM
02/09/03

Mine too. Shel rocks.”

“hehe

A might bit to well at times!

and whats this were shiit”

“when you run 'round nekkid... do you feel "well dressed"?

lol”

“Now in the laid-back California town of sunny San Rafael
Lived a girl named Pearly Sweetcake - you probably knew her well....


HAHAAhhahahaha”

“:)..”

“Shel came to my elementary school. He read us a few of his poems, and then signed a poem printed on some cool paper (something about a mouse?). I could prolly still find it in a box of my stuff at my parents house.”

“One of my personal favorites, but one I definitely didn't read to my kids. Been enjoying him with the little ones (and myself for that matter) for years on end. ANyone ever read the 'Nap-Taker'

The Nap Taker


No -- I did not take a nap --
The nap -- took -- me
Off the bed and out the window
Far beyond the sea,
To a land where sleepy heads
Read only comic books
And lock their naps in iron safes
So that they can't get took.
And soon as I came to that land,
I also came to grief.
The people pointed at me, shouting,
"Where's the nap, you thief?"
They took me to the courthouse.
The judge put on his cap.
He said, "My child, you are on trial
For taking someone's nap.
"Yes, all you selfish children,
You think just of yourselves
And don't care if the nap you take
Belongs to someone else.
It happens that the nap you took
Without a thought or care
Belongs to Bonnie Bowlingbrook,
Who's sittin' cryin' there.
"She hasn't slept in quite some time--
Just see her eyelids flap.
She's tired drowsy -- cranky too,
'Cause guess who took her nap?"
The jury cried, "You're guilty, yes,
You're guilty as can be,
But just return the nap took
And we might set you free."
"I did not take that nap," I cried,
"I give my solemn vow,
And if I took it by mistake
I do not have it now."
"Oh fiddle-fudge," cried out the judge,
Your record looks quite sour.
Last night I see you stole a kiss,
Last week you took a shower,
"You beat your eggs, you've whipped your cream,
At work you punched the clock,
You've even killed an hour or two,
We've heard you darn your socks,
We know you shot a basketball,
You've stolen second base,
And we can see you're guilty
From the sleep that's on your face.
"Go lie down on your blanket now
And cry your guilty tears.
I sentence you to one long nap
For ninety million years.
And when the other children see
This nap that never ends,
No child will ever dare to take
Somebody's nap again."
Shel Silverstein”

“holy crap, Tilt! LOL! i never knew about all those.

i can totally see why he would be banned in some schools, though, Tarabull. i need to get A Light In the Attic...i just finished Falling Up, and i looooooved it. he has a crazy sense of humor...very dark!”

“HUNGRY MUNGRY


Hungry Mungry sat at supper,
Took his knife and spoon and fork,
Ate a bowl of mushroom soup, ate a slice of roasted pork,
Ate a dozen stewed tomatoes, twenty-seven deviled eggs,
Fifteen shrimps, nine bakes potatoes,
Thirty-two fried chicken legs,
A shank of lamb, a boiled ham,
Two bowls of grits, some black-eye peas,
Four chocolate shakes, eight angel cakes,
Nine custard pies with Muenster cheese,
Ten pots of tea, and after he,
Had eaten all that he was able,
He poured some broth on the tablecloth
And ate the kitchen table.
His parents said, "Oh Hungry Mungry, stop these silly jokes."
Mungry opened up his mouth, and "Gulp," he ate his folks.
And then he went and ate his house, all the bricks and wood,
And then he ate up all the people in the neighborhood.
Up came twenty angry policeman shouting, "Stop and cease."
Mungry opened his mouth and "Gulp," he ate the police.
Soldiers came with tanks and guns.
Said Mungry, "They can't harm me."
He just smiled and licked his lips and ate the U.S. Army.

The President sent all his bombers--Mungry still was calm,
Put his head back, gulped the planes, and gobbled up the bomb.
He ate his town and ate the city--ate and ate and--
And then he said, "I think I'll eat the whole United States."

And so he ate Chicago first and munched the Water Tower,
And then he chewed on Pittsburgh but he found it rather sour.
He ate New York and Tennessee, and all of Boston town,
Then drank the Mississippi River just to wash it down.
And when he'd eaten every state, each puppy, boy and girl
He wiped his mouth upon his sleeve and went to eat the world.

He ate the Egypt pyramids and every church in Rome,
And all the grass in Africa and all in ice in Nome.
He ate each hill in green Brazil and then to make things worse
He decided for dessert he'd eat the universe.

He started with the moon and stars and soon as he was done
He gulped the clouds, he sipped the wind and gobbled up the sun.
Then sitting there in the cold dark air,
He started to nibble his feet,
Then his legs, then his hips
Then his neck, then his lips
Till he sat there just gnashin' his teeth
'Cause nothin' was nothin' was
Nothin' was nothin' was
Nothin' was left to eat


And for you teachers, I found this on line - you may find this interesting (food for thought, haha)

lesson plan”

“He wrote a lot of interesting articles for Playboy magazine also. Plus he also drew quite a few cartoons for Playboy, a very talented man.
Shel Silverstein”

“ohmagawd, I love Shel! I remember reading all of his kids' books from a very young age. The Giving Tree is also one of my faves, but I love the Uncle Shelby (adult humor) books too...LMFAO!

RIP Shel...you rock.”

“I looked for the Shel Silberstein thread to post this on, but I think it was so old that it has been dropped from the archives - but google found this one for me.

Intro:

I told Polly good night, standing at her front door,
I gave her a kiss, but did not ask for anything more,
I was feeling oh so groovy, that I went to see a movie, and what do you think I saw?



POLLY IN A PORNY

I saw Polly in a porny
Down at the dirty flicks.
I saw Polly in a porny.
I didn't know she knew them tricks.
What I seen nearly struck me blind.
I never knew she was theatrically inclined.

I saw Polly in a porny with a pony
And it almost blowed my mind
Was she gallopin? no no no
Was she trottin? no no no
Was she ridin' cross the country
With some tall dark handsome person?
Was she wearin' her cowboy hat?
Well, not exactly that.
But, I do recall she had her spurs on...

I love Polly in a porny.
I keep on goin' back.
In the very last row I'm singin' low
With my coat bouncin' in my lap.
I spend each dime I can afford.
I swear she's gonna win an academy award.
I saw Polly in a porny with a pony,
And the pony looked a little bored.”